Policing Porn In Cyberspace

September 18, 1995

The FBI crackdown last week on at least a dozen people who allegedly used computer networks to distribute child pornography demonstrates that law-enforcement agencies, working with on-line services, can police porn in cyberspace.

Yet the two-year sting operation that resulted in the arrests brought renewed cries for government intrusion in on-line communication.

That's too bad. Children need to be protected from pornography to the fullest extent possible while the rights of adults to share ideas freely are protected as well. What's needed is stringent enforcement of existing anti-pornography laws and self-policing by the on-line computer services. The first raid ever by federal agents to stop the misuse of cyberspace demonstrated how both can be accomplished.

The FBI began investigating some users of America Online, in which Tribune Co. is an investor, because the probe of a child-abduction case in Maryland revealed that computer services were used to transmit child pornography. The sting led to the arrests of customers who used electronic mail to send pictures of children 2 to 13 who were nude or engaged in sex.

Federal laws block on-line services from monitoring private messages and, as common carriers, they shouldn't have the responsibility. Like the U.S. Postal Service, they shouldn't be liable for child pornography sent privately through their medium. Eventually, parents should be given the technology to censor indecent material for their children. Meantime, America Online warns its users that if it learns of illegal activity on its network, it will notify authorities and cooperate fully in any investigation.

Congress shouldn't overreact to the child-porn arrests--it should be reassured. The FBI sting also should be a warning to those who would peddle smut on-line that they are at great risk of being prosecuted.

Man has a long and sad history of misusing new technologies to harm others, but the vast potential of a communications revolution shouldn't be snuffed out by the crimes of a few. Strict law enforcement and attentiveness should be protection enough.